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/ 

REMARKS 

ON THE 

INTERCOURSE OF BALTIMORE 

WITH THE 

WESTERN COUNTRY. 

,/D /VsV> - ! / £>/} ‘ ^ 

/jy /r ' 

IDttlj a Bteto 

OF THE COMMUNICATIONS PROPOSED BETWEEN THE 

A TLANTIC AND THE WESTERN STATES. 



BALTIMORE ; 

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY JOSEPH ROBINSON, 
Circulating Library, 94, A kct-street. 


1818 























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PREFACE. 


1 he Legislature of Maryland at their last Session 
passed a resolution, requesting the Governour and Coun¬ 
cil to call on different Road Companies for information, 
and “ to present to the next General Assembly a full 
“ view of the state and progress of the said roads, and 
“ particularly the Bank Road, with such suggestions as 
“ may appear to them useful for the consideration of the 
“ Legislature, in promoting these desirable improve- 
“ ments.— 

In the allotment of business, the particular duty of 
procuring the information called for, devolved on the 
author of the following remarks.—In the execution of 
this duty, many facts and considerations presented them¬ 
selves, which it was soon found could not be embodied in 
a report to the legislature.—As they intimately concern 
the people of a great part of the State, and particularly 
the citizens of Baltimore, it has been thought advisable 
to publish them, with a view of endeavouring to direct 
the publick attention to a subject which is all-important. 
If the author has in any manner made out his case, 
there surely are the most powerful motives for Baltimore 
to make an exertion: nor is it one which demands large 
sums of money or investments.—It is a call for industry 
and attention, and a careful improvement of the means 
she has now in her power. Her object should be not 


IV 


merely to make a road to the Western Country, but a 
Great Highway, constructed in the most permanent man¬ 
ner, and kept in such order that its temptations will 
induce travellers entirely to abandon the other Routes, 
none of which in point of fact are so short or so conveni¬ 
ent. If she does this, she sinks the roots of her pros¬ 
perity deep in the soil of the country, and must continue 
to flourish, as she has hitherto grown, with almost unex¬ 
ampled force.—If she neglects it, the grass will ere long 
grow in some of her streets, now the seat of an active 
and lucrative business. 

Baltimore, December, 1818 . 


REMARKS 


ON THE 


INTERCOURSE 

WITH THE 

WESTERN COUNTRY. 


T*he great range of mountains which stretch from the confines 
of Georgia to New-York, and are known to geographers by the 
name of the Alleghany Mountains, or the Alleghany Ridge, 
form, it is well known, the two great divisions of the Eastern or 
Atlantick and the Western Country. Forming as it were, the 
backbone of the United States, they rise to an elevation of 3000 
to 4000 feet above the level of the ocean—and catching with their 
woody summits the clouds and moisture of the atmosphere, the 
majestick rivers to which they give birth, flow according to their 
sources, either eastwardly to the Atlantick, or westwardly, to 
make the long journey through the valley of the Ohio and the 
Mississippi, to the Gulph of Mexico. The positions of the 
mountains composing this range, are to be traced on any good 
map of the United States; nor can the subject of the following 
pages be rightly apprehended, without a general idea of the geo¬ 
graphy of the country. 

In Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, a separate range of 
mountains, generally compact and uniform, and which the early 
settlers called, from the appearance of their distant tops, the Blue 
Mountains , run in a direction parallel with the Alleghany, but at 
a distance of from 2Q to 30 miles. The valley which lies west of 
the Blue Ridge, exceedingly rich, healthy, and fertile, was alrea¬ 
dy settled at the time of our Revolution, and the towns of Win¬ 
chester, Hager’s-town, and Carlisle, began to assume importance. 
After the peaee of 1783, the location of the military grants, and 
the captivating stories of the beauty and amazing fertility of the 
country, produced a great emigration to the west of the Allegha¬ 
ny Mountains, to the fertile counties washed by the waters of the 
Ohio ; but, the still formidable power of the Indian tribes, the 
defeat of St. Clair, and the refusal of the right of deposite at 
New-Orleans, were occasional disadvantages to a quiet settle¬ 
ment—Still, however, the current was too strong to be checked ; 
the settlement of the western country went on rapidly ; and, 
when at last, the purchase of Louisiana, and the subjugation or 
pacification of the Indians left no remaining obstacle, its increase 
was so rapid, as to outstrip all calculations, but those of romance. 

1 


From the early date of Philadelphia, the settlements made by 
an industrious people around it, and its early importance as a 
capital, the trade of the Carlisle valley, west of the Blue Ridge, 
at first naturally went to that city. The improvements in the in¬ 
terior, her roads and bridges, were admired long before they 
were imitated by her neighbours. A principal road was very 
early made from the settlements near Carlisle and Chambersburg, 
which crossed the Alleghany mountains and led to Pittsburg. 
The situation of Pittsburg at the very head of the Ohio, with 
every advantage, powerfully aided the general state of things, 
which all contributed to throw the intercourse of these new coun¬ 
tries solely into the arms of Philadelphia. The operation of this 
trade, the wealth it has produced, may be seen in the present 
greatness of that city. 

Situated at the head of one of the finest bays in the world, on the 
shores of which a great quantity of wheat and tobacco were an¬ 
nually raised—-Baltimore began soon to assume importance. The 
state of the world was for 20 years most favourable to her pros¬ 
perity—The wars of Europe created a great demand for her pro¬ 
ducts ; the West-India islands were to be fed from the United 
States; the carrying trade was pursued to most advantage in 
small and swift sailing vessels, in the construction of which, ihe 
mechanicks of the Chesapeake particularly excelled ; the position 
of her city gradually began to draw to her the produce of the fer¬ 
tile districts lying on each side of the Blue Ridge ; and the en¬ 
terprise and intelligence of her merchants seizing these advan¬ 
tages, raised Baltimore in less than an ordinary lile-time from an 
obscure hamlet, to a great and wealthy city of upwards of 60,000 
souls. 

As soon as the advantages of the intercourse with the Blue 
Ridge country were perceived, and men had amassed sufficient 
capital to enable them to spare a part, the publick spirit of Balti¬ 
more induced them to construct solid and permanent roads, lead¬ 
ing in every direction to the country whose commerce they wish¬ 
ed to secure. It would be superfluous to enlarge upon the bene¬ 
fits which these roads have conferred upon the city; a view of 
its rapid progress at every point where they meet the town is 
abundant evidence. It may be allowed, however, to pay a just 
tribute to the publick spirit and motives of those who constructed 
the Frederick, RcisterVtown, and York turnpikes, which have 
ever since their construction been open sluices, pouring in silently 
their streams of fertility to Baltimore-—and, to regret, that the 
same spirit, as if wearied with the exertion, appears now to be in 
a state of repose. 

Satisfied as it were with these exertions, the people of Balti¬ 
more have busied themselves in other projects, and contented 
with the enjoyment of that share of the commerce of the inieriour 
which they possess, they have rather looked over the ocean to 
other parts of the world to open new sources of gain. But, 


3 


though their vessels range in every clime, and their commercial 
views embrace every quarter of the globe, they are yet far from 
possessing a just idea of the immense importance of the nations 
growing up rapidly in the west, and the intimate connexion which 
nature has permitted the city of Baltimore to enjoy with that 
great country, provided she will take the pains to acquire and 
secure it. 

The natural effect of the settlements on the Ohio being made 
by Pennsylvania, was to retain for some time, the principal, if 
not the whole intercourse of those settlements within that state. 
The flourishing towns, rich farms, and populous appearance of 
the country along the main road from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, 
sufficiently mark it as a well established channel of a profitable 
trade. Sensible of the importance of this intercourse, the Legis¬ 
lature of Pennsylvania have encouraged by pecuniary subscrip¬ 
tions, every measure which should render it more easy and com¬ 
modious. Turnpikes have been extended gradually from Phila¬ 
delphia, to the foot of the Alleghany, bridges erected over the 
Susquehannah, and other rivers ; and they looked forward to the 
slow but certain completion of the whole line of communication 
from Philadelphia, the eastern , to Pittsburg, the western capital 
of the state. 

In this manner Pennsylvania was quietly proceeding, when on 
a sudden, she has been aroused by the appearance of tvvo sources 
of evil, which had not been anticipated, and which promise to 
destroy her fairest prospects. These are the introduction of 
steam-boats for the navigation of the Mississippi and Ohio, and 
the near completion of the National Turnpike, constructed from 
Cumberland on the Potomack, to Wheeling on the Ohio. On 
the first, we will by and by take occasion to make some observa¬ 
tions ; on the latter, we may remark with regret, that its impor¬ 
tance to Maryland, appears even at the present moment to be bet¬ 
ter understood and appreciated in Pennsylvania by the commer¬ 
cial rivals of Baltimore, than among ourselves. The apprehen¬ 
sion of loss may be more sharp-sighted than the desire of gain; 
but, it becomes us surely, to make up for loss of time, by in¬ 
creased diligence and spirit, when we put ourselves in action.— 
It is with a view of exciting the proper spirit of inquiry in the 
publick mind, and of calling abler and better hands to the work, 
that these observations are submitted. 

The penetrating mind of Washington, who seemed gifted above 
all other men with the talent of discerning truth, through all 
time and under any circumstances, early pointed out as a circum¬ 
stance of the greatest importance to his country, the free and easy 
communication over the Alleghany mountains. The first publick 
act of his life, was a perilous journey to the head waters of the 
Alleghany river : and the first publick document which he ad¬ 
dressed in the nineteenth year of his age to the Governour of 
Virginia, points out the importance ol taking possession of the 


4 


forks of the Monongahela and Alleghany rivers, the very spot 
on which Pittsburg now stands, and on which there was not at 
that time even an Indian cabin—Nor did he rest, until this was 
captured from the French, and finally secured by the erection of 
a fort in the year 1 757. To the close of his life, the concern he 
took in the improvement of the navigation of the Potomack, and 
the different plans for uniting its head waters with the waters of 
the Ohio, is known to the whole country. It is believed, that his 
opinion remained unchanged, that eventually the principal com¬ 
munication with the Western country, would be by passing the 
Alleghany somewhere in the neighbourhood of the upper branches 
of the Potomack. 

Perhaps it was very much owing to the turn given to publick 
opinion by this illustrious man, that when provision was made 
by act of Congress, for the admission of the North Western Ter¬ 
ritory into the Union, a stipulation was made, that 2 per cent, on 
the sales of publick lands should be reserved as a fund, to be ap¬ 
plied to the construction of roads leading to the states which 
should be formed out of that territory,—and, when afterwards. 
Congress instead of waiting the tedious operation of that fund, 
determined to advance the money and make a great road, it was 
agreed, probably from the same causes, that the location should 
commence at Cumberland; a location in all respects judicious, 
and as it regards the states who were eventually to furnish the mo¬ 
ney, eminently just. 

It was particularly fortunate that the location of this road was 
established at that time. The influence of President Jefferson 
with Congress gave an authority to the measure, which it could 
not have had from any of his successors. Its consequences were 
too remotely perceived to become the causes of great opposition. 
But they are now seen in their full extent. The half-measures 
of Pennsylvania, betrayed in the stipulation that it should pass 
through Union-town and Washington, have been followed up by 
bolder and more direct hostility. A gentleman of distinguished 
talents has been selected from the Pittsburg bar, and sent to Con¬ 
gress, as is generally believed, to oppose its completion; and his 
re-election a few weeks since, though opposed by a political and 
professional rival, manifests a spirit which will justify a recent 
observation of one of the most distinguished men in that state, 
<l that if the road were now to be made , Pennsylvania would ut¬ 
terly refuse to let it pass through any part of her territory .” 

During a recent journey to that part of the country, I was 
struck with the interest which this National Turnpike excited. 
For a long time, while the work was struggling through the re¬ 
cesses and lost in the wildernesses of the mountain, it escaped in 
a great measure the publick notice—But having subdued the 
hills, and conquered the streams by noble bridges, the workmen 
last summer emerged from the forests, and descending the Lau- 


.rel Hill, the most western mountain in their route, they have 
halted at Union-town, in the great valley 'of the Monongahela. 
The great work of vanquishing the Alleghany is accomplished ; 
and if Napoleon could say when he finished the roads of Simplon 
and Mont Cenis, “ Les Alpes n’existent plus,” we may say 
to our western brethren, u the Alleghany is broken down, it is no 
longer a barrier between us.” 

This impression, prevalent throughout that country has excit¬ 
ed very great attention. A general movement has already com¬ 
menced which will break up and change the present channels of 
intercourse; fixing them finally in those positions deemed most 
advantageous, or where the western people may be most freely 
received and find it their best interest to remain. 

Aware of this circumstance, Pennsylvania has begun to make 
every exertion to preserve the western trade, and keep it in its 
old channel. The Legislature have assisted by very liberal sub¬ 
scriptions the turnpike roads now making to Pittsburg, and on 
the mountains which presented the worst obstacles, they are al¬ 
ready completed. An endeavour will be made this winter, to do 
away the advantage which the National Road enjoys of being toll 
free , by purchasing the whole road west from Chambersburg, and 
declaring it free ; or if that cannot be done, to release the shares 
owned and already paid for by the state, on condition that broad 
wheel waggons shall not be subject to any toll. 

In this state of things,- when the people of the west from their 
mountain tops are looking eastwardly to fix their final destination* 
when the rivalry of Baltimore is admitted by every writer in 
Pennsylvania, to be dangerous in the extreme—what are the 
enterprising people of Baltimore doing ? With their arms folded, 
they appear content to be spectators of a struggle which involves 
their dearest interests, and on the issue of which the prosperity 
(I will not say the existence) of their city depends. To chance 
or jealous rivals, they leave the fostering of those means which 
nature and fortune have put before them as the foundations of 
greatness. They seek to amuse the eye with vain embellishments 
of their domicil; and are unwilling to lift their view to the Al¬ 
leghany, where they may blend the grand scenes of nature with 
the prospective wealth and greatness of their city, of themselves 
and of their children. 

The Legislature, it is true, when they renewed the charters of 
the banks in 1814, imposed it upon them as a condition, that they 
should make a turnpike road from the Conogocheague Creek to 
Cumberland. The banks are chiefly in Baltimore—the money 
furnished from thence—and the fear of losing their charters, is a 
sufficient security that the road will be made. But the manner 
of doing it, took awav the graciousness of the favour. By im¬ 
posing it as a bonus, they tempted the banks to make it as cheaply 
as possible (and of course as indifferent) ; they retained no super- 


vision, they gave it no privileges, nor aided it with any funds. 
The interest of the banks, as such, was opposite to the interests 
of the pubhck. If the result has not been such as might be ex¬ 
pected, it is because the deep stake which Baltimore has in the 
road is so evident, that the directors would have committed a sort 
of felo de se, to have neglected the interests of the pubiick. 

Further than the concern which Baltimore has in the bank 
road, there seems to be a total indifference to the subject. To 
excite some attention to it, and to shew the very great and im¬ 
portant concern which the city has at stake—the causes which 
will put her existence in jeopardy, and the vast advantages on 
the other hand, within her grasp, we will examine the subject 
somewhat in detail—It is with a single view to the interests of 
the state and city that these pages are written ; nor does the na¬ 
ture of the subject admit of the vanity of authorship. As the 
matter admits of several divisions, each of which is capable of 
standing alone, we have arranged it under the following proposi¬ 
tions, in order to have a view of the whole ; each will be after¬ 
wards separately treated, in order that every part may be examin¬ 
ed, every fallacy detected, every overcharge corrected, and the 
whole ground of every conclusion exposed to the severest scru¬ 
tiny. 

The skeleton of our argument is then contained in the follow¬ 
ing propositions : 

1st. The great high road between the Atlantick and the Western 
States, ought naturally to be from Baltimore, towards Browns¬ 
ville and Wheeling. 

2nd. This great road is now lying in parts nearly completed, and 
requires only that the fragments should be united, and the 
whole carefully improved and kept in order. 

3rd. As a matter of great interest to Maryland, this road should 
be considered as a great measure of state improvement, and 
fostered by the application of some indirect tax, or particu¬ 
lar fund to it. To attain this properly, it ought to become 
state property. 

4th. On this route, heavy waggons for the regular transport of 
goods and merchandise, stages and post-coaches of the best 
sort should be established ; and every possible facility and 
accommodation given to travellers. 

5th. The consequence of these measures would be, that almost 
every traveller crossing the mountains would come to Balti¬ 
more. All foreign goods would begin their inland transpor¬ 
tation at Baltimore. 

6th. Admitting, (merely for sake of the argument) that the land 
carriage of merchandise over the mountains is abandoned, # 
there must still be a direct communication with the Atlan- # 
tick and Europe, embracing the operations of exchange, 


7 

banking, drafts, and paper negotiations in its different forms. 
This would pass through Baltimore, where much of it would 
naturally remain. 

7th. But there is every reason to believe, that the land carriage 
of light goods and merchandise over the mountains would 
continue, and of all those various articles in which quickness 
of transport is an object. 

8th. Even the heavy goods can be transported from Baltimore to 
the Ohio, at little more than half the price at which they were 
brought last summer from New-Orleans to Louisville ;— 
and, though the latter may become still lower, yet from the 
expense of steam-boats, the additional insurance from dan¬ 
gers of the boat and the river, delay, &c. it is not probable 
that it can be reduced much below the transportation price, 
if any. 

9th. The routes proposed in other states do not present equal fa¬ 
cilities, and therefore cannot support a competition with this 
road. The canals, yet in a nascent state, have a doubtful 
prospect of being completed. If they are completed, they 
may be intersected by water communications, and their ad¬ 
vantages turned to Baltimore. 

10th. However unfavourable the present state of the country to 
undertaking expensive canals, they ought not to be lost sight 
of. Their place in a regular system of improvement should 
be fixed; and preparation made to embrace the first favour¬ 
able opportunity of constructing these arteries of domestick 
commerce. 

11th. Tnese are some of the capacities of improvement of which 
the internal trade of Baltimore is susceptible—Time may 
open other objects; but, they must be arranged under one 
of these heads, viz—A great road leading directly over the 
mountains—and the navigation of the Susquehanna and Po- 
tomack. 

The self-evident interest of Baltimore is then to keep a steady 
eye upon these objects, and grasp them firmly whenever occasion 
offers. 

And first, the road should be immediately and carefully com¬ 
pleted. The work is easy—difficulties trifling-cost inconsidera¬ 
ble—opportunity inviting, and the certain advantages immense. 
No one can visit the country of the west—no one can give his at¬ 
tention to the subject, but must exclaim, u Now—now, indeed, 
is the appointed time. ,, 

We proceed to develop the grounds, and state briefly the 
facts which support the above propositions. 

1st Proposition . A glance at the map is abundantly sufficient 
to shew how much nearer to the Ohio Baltimore is placed than 
any other Atiantick seaport—with the exception of Georgetown, 


8 


which is about the same distance, but which labours under the 
disadvantage of a difficult river navigation to the Chesapeake. 
The inspection of the map is so satisfactory on this point, that 
we proceed to the details of the route from Baltimore, by which 
it will appear that only 10 miles of turnpike on one route, or 20 
miles on another, (which shortens the whole distance,) remain to 
be provided for. By making 20 miles of turnpike instead of 10, 
we shorten the whole distance upwards of 4 miles; which is pre¬ 
ferred for the present estimates. We take the Frederick road, 
because it is actually finished across the Blue Ridge, and is pro¬ 
bably as near as any road which could be made, for reasons 
which will appear hereafter. Where they could be had, the of¬ 
ficial returns of the surveys have furnished the distances : 

Miles . Perch. 

From Baltimore to Boonsborough, in the valley west 
of the Blue Ridge—turnpike completed—every 
river bridged 

From Boonsborough to Stone Quarry Ridge, (through 
Hager’s-town, 24 miles 235 perches—Do. do. 
through Williamsport, 20 miles—Say the latter) 

This is the only gap unprovided for—at S. Q. 

R. we intersect the road making by the banks 
From Stone Quarry Ridge to Hancock—Bank turn¬ 
pike 

From Hancock to Cumberland—Bank turnpike—by 
Pratt’s 

From Cumberland, National Road completed to Uni¬ 
on-town, with superb bridges over the Youghi- 
ogeny 

From Union to Brown’s-ville—National Road to be, 
continued, but only 2 miles contracted for—pre¬ 
sent distance 12 miles, but will be shortened at 
least 1| miles 

(Distance to good navigation 199 m. I29jper.) 

From Brown’s-ville it is 55 miles of good boat navi¬ 
gation to Pittsburg—Generally, when there is 
water at Pittsburg to go down the Ohio, there 
is water enough to go from Brown’s-ville— 

Goods from Baltimore to Pittsburg, are always 
put in boats at Brown’s-ville—price 25 cts. per 
cwt.—The road by land 35 miles, is very bad. 

From Brown’s-ville to Washington—National Road, 
not yet mad< j —present distance 24 miles, but 
will be reduced at least 2£ miles 
From Washington to Wheeling, whole distance con¬ 
tracted for, and now making 


60 

20 

11 240 

38 47i 

59 2 

10 160 


21 160 
31 130 


Whole distance from Baltimore to Wheeling, 252 99£ 




9 


In the-year 1734. the Ohio Company wishing to push their 
fur trade with the Indians, engaged Col. Cresap to explore for 
them a route over the Alleghany mountains. Cresap employed 
an Indian, a veteran hunter and warrior, of a tribe who dwelt at 
the forks of Youghiogeny, who marked with his tomahawk a 
path which Cresap cut out and made passable for pack horses, 
and this it is believed, was the first road which crossed the Al¬ 
leghany. It was afterwards widened and improved by the Vir¬ 
ginians under Washington, in 1752. Braddock made his army 
work on it, and by the delay lost not only the certain victory, but 
his army and life. Gen. Forbes after endeavouring in vain to 
open a better, at last passed by this road and captured Fort Du- 
quesne (now Pittsburg); and finally, the commissioners appoint¬ 
ed by Mr. Jefferson to locate the National Turnpike, found they 
could do no better than follow generally this direction first trac¬ 
ed by the sagacious Indian. 

The points of this road are well situated for a general commu¬ 
nication. From Baltimore (which is 4 or 5 hours ride from the 
seat of the general government) there are stages, steam-boats, 
and packets, every day to the northward, eastward, and south; 
ward ; the steam-boats to Norfolk and Richmond, (to which will 
probably be added in a few years an interiour communication, 
principally by steam-boats to Charleston and Savannah,) and it is 
freely open to the sea. At Brown's ville , is the nearest approxi¬ 
mation of the boatable western waters to the tide of the Atian- 
tick. Wheeling is the place where the great road to Ohio, Ken¬ 
tucky, Indiana, Illinois, and the still unsettled countries of the 
Northern Mississippi and Missouri crosses the river Ohio.— 
Some previous arrangements are here made to erect a bridge 
over this proud stream ; with what success it is impossible to 
predict, as there is reason to fear that the “ beautiful river” may 
continue justly to claim that fine epithet unworthily bestowed by 
Virgil upon the A raxes. 

_ “ Indomitique Dahae, et pontem indignatus Araxes.** 

<2d. Prop . A reference to the road bill given above will shew, 
that there is but one gap or break in the road, for the making of 
which there is no provision. This gap must be filled up before 
we can receive the full benefit of the road ; and from this will 
spring up the greatest dangers which can await our proposed 
communication with the West. It has been proposed to make a 
turnpike from the Reister’s-town road at Westminster, to pass 
the Blue Ridge at Harman’s Gap, and thence to Hager’s town. 
It Will be a revival of the question of the William’s-port or 
the Hager’s-town location of the bank road, with all its passions. 
The distractions in the publick mind caused by the hostile state¬ 
ments of facts by the interested advocates of these two communi¬ 
cations, will probably do much to injure the great interests of 


10 


Baltimore. The sums expended by the Frederick and Reister’s- 
town Companies, each above 600,000 collars, awaken the zeal 
and activity of interested partisans, and the publick spirit which 
belongs equally to both companies, will create a diversion and 
contradiction in the publick mind, of the effects of which we 
have the most melancholy apprehei sions. The great object of 
Baltimore is to take the nearest practicable route to the Western 
Country, and the subject should be considered with this view 
alone. Let us hope that publick opinion will raise itself above 
the clamour ot sell-interest—that means will be taken to ascer¬ 
tain by disinterested persons, what is the truth of the facts stated 
by the parties; and that the judgment of the publick will be de¬ 
liberate. temperate, and enlightened. 

3rd. Prop, The system under which our turnpike roads are 
made, though perhaps no other could have been carried through 
at the time, is nevertheless liable to some objections. It seems 
natural that a road for publick utility should be made by the 
publick—who will be interested in keeping it in good order. 
When it is made by stockholders, as is the general practice with 
us, the goodness of the road is a secondary object—the first, is 
the interest they get for their money. Hence, the publick fre¬ 
quently pay tolls on a wretched road; while the stockholders con¬ 
tinue to make dividends; and the smaller the dividends, the less 
they think they can afford to lay out on the improvement of the 
road. It is easier to discover this evil than to cure it.—An appro¬ 
priation to a »*oad is so directly local and sectional, that it will 
ever be a matter of the greatest difficulty in a government purely 
popular. It needs however very little to shew, that the state of 
Maryland is intimately concerned in making, if possible, her wa¬ 
ters, her ports, and her roads, the great doors of entry to the 
immense regions ol the interiour. Her very boundaries along 
both shores of the Chesapeake, narrowing as they go west, 
appear to have been selected, in order that no local conflicting in¬ 
terest should distract her attention from this object. George¬ 
town, formerly the object of her cares, is now cut off andTost to 
k. er * The wealth of Georgetown gives nothing to Maryland ; in 
times of emergency she can look to Georgetown for nothing; the 
prosperity of Georgetown is that of the stranger, and her con¬ 
tributions go into foreign coffers. The state of Maryland must 
look to another capital—she must foster another source of strength 
and wealth; or linger in debility in the outskirts of her neigh¬ 
bour’s improvements. 

It is not necessary here to enter into the precise plan which 
should be followed in the event of these ideas being adopted.— 
There is no doubt but that a purchase of the whole road, or of 
any part of it might be made on very advantageous terms—The 
peculiar advantage of its being state property is, that it then could 
he made the subject ot local regulation; could receive any appra- 

t 


11 




priation of funds; and beside the income from tolls, a fund aris¬ 
ing from some indirect tax, such as the income derived from the 
tax on banks, or any similar revenue might be assigned to it— 
Thus it would produce an interest to the state, continually in¬ 
creasing as the appropriation became larger and the road better 
and more travelled, and the mutual reaction of these causes be 
a general gain little short of the calculations of compound inter¬ 
est. There are no taxes which people pay with cheerfulness, 
unless it be an indirect tax whose appropriation is visible to 
their eyes, and whose benefits are directly felt in their pockets. 
And is it not fair and just in the nature of things, that a share 
of the revenue raised in Baltimore, should he expended on a 
great state artery, which nourishes her commerce, and ferti¬ 
lises every part of the state which it touches ? 

4 til Prop . It requires very few words to satisfy us of the 
utility of an establishment for the transportation of goods. The 
uncertainty of the common mode of procuring wagons, the 
fluctuation of their prices, and irresponsibility, are things that 
it would be very desirable to remedy ; but the great benefit 
would arise from the reduction in price of freight. This is a 
pivot on which the question turns of the share of the western 
trade which Baltimore may continue to enjoy. It becomes 
therefore of the highest importance to attend to it, and to re¬ 
duce it to the lowest terms possible, even disregarding a sav¬ 
ing profit. What those terms are, we shall presently examine. 
For the same reasons, every inducement should be offered to 
collect the scattered travelling which now crosses the mountains 
in various directions, and fix it at once on this route. The stages 
established a few months ago have been, contrary to the expec¬ 
tations of their owners, already profitable ; and persons from 
New-York intending to descend the Ohio, have this fall come 
on to Baltimore, and taken the route to Wheeling. The wes- 
f tern roads are said to be impassable in the winter for a stage¬ 
coach ; and until there is a continuous line of paved road, there 
will be no security that they will not be stopped. We should 
endeavour to further its completion therefore in every way. 

5th Prop . The consequences of these measures are self-evi¬ 
dent ; and the stream of communication which would settle in 
this channel, would fertilise every part of the soil it touched, 
perhaps for generations to come. The emerging of the Na¬ 
tional Road, from the gloom of the forest to the broad day¬ 
light of the settlements, has awakened a very general attention 
in the minds of the western people ; and they are standing as 
it were on tiptoe, looking over the mountains, and as yet 

«-Uncertain, where to chuse 

“ Their place of rest.” 

Xet us be the first to greet and fix them* 


6th Prof?* In the case (admitted merely for argument) that 
the transport of merchandise over the mountains is abandoned, 
there will still be great sources of prosperity in the direc com¬ 
munication. Travellers will of course take this route. The in¬ 
finitely varied relations between the nations growing up in that 
quarter, and the people of the Atlantick states, of Europe, in¬ 
deed of the world—will support any city which shall possess 
them. The produce of those countries being shipped from New- 
Orleans, there will oe some port more convenient for intelli¬ 
gence, and whose communications are more expeditious, through 
which returns will be made, and which will naturally become 
their banking-house. It is impossible indeed, to enumerate the 
various forms of communication, between the western people, 
(rapidly becoming a great nation of themselves) and those of the 
Atlantick. We can only hint at the general course of some ope¬ 
rations ; but it is certain that the intercourse will be very great, 
and as certain that the shortest and best communication will be 
preferred. 

7th Prop . The western people have begun to manufacture 
for themselves the coarser articles. We cannot speak with ab¬ 
solute certainty of their future wants; but it is more than pro¬ 
bable they will demand rather the luxuries of other countries, 
than articles of the first necessity. Should the heavy groceries, 
sugar and coffee take, what appears to be their geographical 
channel\ from the West-Indies and New-Orleans up the Mis¬ 
sissippi, still it does not appear that the difference of freight 
would make it an object to import the light goods through that 
channel. 

Tiie expense of transporting an article is measured by a com¬ 
parison of the price of transport with the value of the article . 
A box of jewelry, which could be sent in perfect safety by 
land, would not be trusted to the seas ; for the price of its 
transport by land, would be less than its insurance against sea- 
risk. To give some general idea of the rate per centum on 
their value, at which goods could be transported from Balti¬ 
more to Brown’s-vilie or to Wheeling, the following items are 
presented. The transport is supposed to be reduced to 2 dol¬ 
lars per cwt. to Brown’s ville, and 2| dollars to Wheeling ; and 
the articles are chiefly of coarse quality and low price, in order 
to avoid all chance of exaggeration :—A pair of rose blankets, it 
will be seen, which cost five and a half dollars a pair will be carri¬ 
ed to Brown’s ville for eleven cents ; a yard of cloth which cost 
two dollars and a quarter, for two cents and a half—and so on with 
the other articles. The hardware is estimated from the weight 
and value of several assortments actually selected by a Western 
trader for that market.— 


13 


To Brown's- 
ville. 

$ Cts. 


Bale of common blankets—160, at Si 75, wt. 

392 lbs.—value $280—transport, per $100 2 50 

Bale of rose blankets—60 pair, at $5 50 per 

pair—weight 374 lbs.—transport, per $100 2 00 

Bale of cloths—360 yards, at $2 25 per yd. wt. 

504 lbs—transport, per $100 110 

Bale of flannels—wt. 352 lbs.—value, $630— 

transport, per $100 0 98 

Do. Cassimere—wt. 322 lbs.—value $667* 0 86 

Trunk of calico—wt. 16'0 lbs.—value $400—per 

$100 0 82 
Trunk of muslins—wt. 150 lbs—value $600— 

per $100 0 56 

Hardware, exclusive of heavy goods, per $100 2 14 

Hardware, including heavy goods , per $100 3 57 


To Wheel¬ 
ing. 

$ CtS. 

3 12 

2 50 

t 38 

1 22 

1 7 

1 00 

0 70 

2 67 

4 46 


It appears from the above, that the transport, of dry goods 
would cost from one-half per cent, to 2-J per cent, on their va¬ 
lue; hardware 2 or 2£ exclusive , and 3* per cent * inclusive of 
heavy articles. The same calculations may be made with respect 
to India goods, teas, linens, British, Irish, German, and French 
goods, wares of the precious metals, &c. &c. The result will 
shew that the cost of transport bears a small proportion to the va¬ 
lue of the articles ; the trader therefore will probably rather pre¬ 
fer to receive these directly over the mountains, than by the te¬ 
dious and circuitous route of New Orleans. But the additional 
insurance in the Gulf of Mexico, and chat in the river against ac¬ 
cidents pf the boat and dangers of the river, amount to some¬ 
thing. In fact if our information be correct, that the risk down 
the river is estimated at 2^ to 5 per cent, the risk up must be 
Considerable. If therefore the price of inland transportation can 
be reduced to any thing near the results of our table, viz. an ave¬ 
rage of 1 \ per cent, on the value of dry goods; from 2 to 3J per 
cent, on hardware, and so on upon all merchandise transported, 
(the finer and more valuable the goods, the less per cent . the cost 
qf transport,) there will be little doubt of the supply continuing 
to go from the Atlantick cities. It is therefore fairly presuma¬ 
ble, that the 7th Prop . is true ; that its deductions are not san¬ 
guine or too hastily drawn ; and that all light and valuable com¬ 
modities at least will be carried to the western country by land. 

8th Prop . But we come now to inquire, what will be the 
cost of transporting goods from Baltimore to Brown’s-ville and 
Wheeling on a good turnpike road. On a road net turnpiked, 
where there is not a secure communication at all seasons, prices 
are extremely variable. This is now the case on all the roads 
leading over the mountains. From Baltimore to Pittsburg it has 



been this summer from 4| to 5 dollars per cwt. ; and from Phi¬ 
ladelphia from 6 to 8 dollars per cwt. without regarding occa¬ 
sional extremes—And here we may remark, that the price from 
Pittsburg- to Philadelphia , is not more than | or £ the price from 
Philadelpnia to Pittsburg. On examination, however, we disco¬ 
ver, that wherever a turnpike road has secured an easy inter¬ 
course at all seasons, that the price has gradually found its 
true place and settled at the point of real value. Thus from 
Philadelphia to Lancaster, a distance of 62 miles, it may be 
taken at 50 cents per cwt. To Harrisburg 100 miles, one dol¬ 
lar, and frequently for 75 cents. From Baltimore to Frederick- 
town, distance 45 miles, about 50 cents. 

From these ^jdata we might reasonably suppose, that the price 
(the road being completed) from Baltimore to Brown’s-ville, 200 
miles would be two dollars ; and to Wheeling, 252 miles, about 
two dollars and a half per cwt. The Transporting Company in 
Philadelphia calculate, that when the turnpikes to Pittsburg are 
finished, they will be able to reduce the price to 4 dollars per 
cwt., and perform the journey to Pittsburg in 8 days. If their 
calculation be correct (and having been in operation this sum¬ 
mer, they nfust have some experience), the same ratio ought 
to apply to the Baltimore and Wheeling route ; which would 
bring the price per hundred to Brown’s-ville to 2 dollars 66 cts. 
or to Wheeling 3 dollars 36 cents—And, it is to be remarked, 
that the advantages of the Baltimore route would probably create 
a great difference in its favour, viz. that the National Road, em¬ 
bracing the most difficult part of the mountains is toll free, and 
that it is a far better road than any of those making in Pennsyl¬ 
vania, which are constructed by private subscription, and of 
course with every attention to economy and the saving of ex¬ 
pense. 

The difficulties which the Philadelphia company have en¬ 
countered, have almost entirely been on that part of the road 
west of Chamb'ersburg; that is to say, in crossing the moun¬ 
tains. They are not yet turnpiked, and though from the great 
exertion now making, they will probably be soon finished, vet 
that already done is by no means equal to the National Road. 
The heavy toll which must be paid on the whole road, to make 
any dividend, perhaps enters into the calculations of the Phila¬ 
delphia Company, and induces them to fix their price at four 
dollars. 

In order to form some notion of the expenses of a transport¬ 
ing company, which must govern our calculations as to the mi¬ 
nimum price of transporting goods, let us make the following 
general estimate. 

We divide the distance to Brown’s-ville into 14 stages, of 14J 
miles each. This division could be altered into more conveni¬ 
ent stages, if found advisable; we assume it merely for the cal- 


culation. A team ought to travel from 18 to 22 miles a day, but 
we will say only 14-J miles, or one stage. Then to start one 
wagon daily from Baltimore, and one from Brown’s-ville re¬ 
turning, the following estimates would be made : 

FIRST COST. 

2 teams at each stage—28 teams, 6 horses each—168 horses. 

168 horses, at $120 $20,169 

25 wagons, at 300 7,500 

Expenses not foreseen, 2,340 

$30,000 

ANNUAL EXPENSE. 

Interest on 30,000 dollars capital, at 6 per cent. $1,800 

Keep ol 168 horses, at 40 cents per diem, 24,528 

28 drivers, at 20 dollars per month, 6,720 

$33,048 

ANNUAL RECEIPT. 

60 cwt. taken for 2 dollars, for 300 working days, $36,000 

One-third freight back, 12,000 

$48,000 

Leaving a balance of $15,000, after paying interest on the ca¬ 
pital-—a small part of which would suffice to pay clerks and of¬ 
fice hire—the remainder would go to make dividends, which 
added to the 6 per cent, interest already provided for, would 
make a very handsome dividend. 

The items are put down, in order that every one may make 
the calculation himself, varying the charges according to his own 
judgment. 

The expense of supporting a team of six horses, including in¬ 
terest on purchase money, driver, waggon, repairs, and keeping 
up the team, is found by the Messrs. Ellicotts, Cheston, &c. who 
have been for many years in the business of grinding wheat and 
employing teams, to be about 1200 dollars per annum. We 
cannot be wrong therefore in taking the experience of these gen¬ 
tlemen, particularly as they are in a city which is expensive.—. 
Their teams are rated to travel 18 or 20 miles a day, but we will 
3ay only 14*, as above. 





16 


Then 28 teams at Si,200-$33,600 yearly expense. 

ANNUAL RECEIPT . 

60 cwt. for $2 per cwt. for 300 working days, $36,000 
Return freight, say one-third, 12,000 

$48,000 


TO WHEELING. 

36 teams at $1,200 .$43,200 

RECEIPT. 

60 cwt for $2|, for 300 working days $45,000 
Return freight, say one*third, 15,000 


$60,000 

Leaving in one case a balance of 14,400 dollars, and in the 
other 16,800 dollars, to pay a few extra expenses, and divide 
among the proprietors. 

These data are thrown together with the view of enabling 
every one to satisfy himself, that the positions taken are support¬ 
ed by facts, within the knowdedge or inquiry of every one. But 
whatever we may think of them, there is a fact which establishes 
that the reduction of freight will be at least equal to the estimate 
given. In the course of the inquiries which he was led to make, 
the author of these remarks proposed to a person of considerable 
experience in this way, and who is at present part proprietor of 
the line of stages from Baltimore to Wheeling, to ascertain the 
price at which contracts could be made with persons to fur¬ 
nish horses tor the regular transportation of goods, &c. At first 
this gentleman thought it would be higher than is here stated, 
but upon pursuing the subject further, he came to the following 
proposal, which is hereby offered to the publick , viz. 44 To con- 
u tract for the regular carnage of goods from Cumberland to 
44 Union-town, near 60 miles, at the price of 62| cents per cwt. 
44 if the road continues without any repairs, but if there are any 
44 measures taken to keep the road in repair, he will then undertake 
44 to do it at 50 cents, per cwt.—provided, that he have regular 
44 employment and a return load.” This offer, which is made 
very fairly, and in the hope that it will lead to a permanent es¬ 
tablishment, should put an end to all doubt on the subject. 

That constant employment would be afforded to an establish¬ 
ment of this sort, there can be very little doubt. During the 
months which are the busy months of the year, contracts could 
be made for additional teams; and here we have an advantage 
which the Philadelphians had not. They had to contend with 






17 


the ill-will of almost every body on the road ; so that their agent 
has been refused admittance into an itm at night. With us, ma¬ 
ny persons are anxious for such an establishment., and have given 
assurances to promote it by all means in their power. 

The return load will be easily made up with the productions 
of the west. Flour sells for 4 and 4J dollars at Brown’s-ville and 
Washington. Its carriage at $2 per cwt. would be from Brown’s- 
ville 3 \ dollars a barrel, bringing its cost in Baltimore from 7| 
to 8 dollars ; a price which it will always command. But in our 
estimates of the receipts ol the Transporting Company, we have 
charged only one-third, price for the return freight, which would 
be ITT cents freight per barrel; not more than is given from any 
part of the Blue Ridge valley ; and which would pour the pro¬ 
ductions of the west into our market . 

Other articles, bacon, tobacco, peltries, &c. would in like man¬ 
ner compose the return load ; and most likely bear the cost of 
transport and give a profit. But if they paid only the expense of 
the returning teams, (which the wagoners even now find they 
will do) it would be abundantly sufficient for our purpose. 

In the calculations made on the transport of western produce, 
it must be kept in mind, that if it bear the transport and give a 
profit at one time, it should continue to do so ; for the prices at 
Baltimore and New-Orleans being regulated by the foreign de¬ 
mand , must be proportionate to each other—If the price falls at 
one , it ought to fall at the other outlet , and therefore must fall at 
the place where it is grown or manufactured. 

9 th Prop . Philadelphia is our rival in the trade by land—She 
has large capitals vested in it; they are employed by sober, stea¬ 
dy, intelligent men, who have been brought up to the busi¬ 
ness ; she has possession of the channels, and will make great 
exertions to preserve the benefits of the trade. But if we make 
equal exertions , the advantages of our position are such, that 
she cannot stand the competition with us ; as Mr. Breck, the 
most zealous of her writers, (indeed of all writers) expressly 
admits. . • 

The New-York Canal is the most splendid undertaking in our 
country. Its length, as laid out, is 353 miles, and it is estimat¬ 
ed by the commissioners, that the cost will he $4,881,738. From 
calculations, however, of other works executed to the Eastward, 
it is thought that the cost will be more than $7,400,000. If 
Baltimore could enjoy the greater portion of the western trade 
until this canal is finished, she would then have capital and wealth 
enough to undertake something similar. 

The great uncertainty of this canal’s being ever finished is not 
the only circumstance against it. If finished, it will be subject 
to the interruptions of ice in the winter, (which is 6 weeks or 2 
months longer in that latitude than with us). The great length 
of the route to the Ohio, will be a serious objection to it, being 

3 


upwards of 750 miles, and requiring frequent loading and unload¬ 
ing. To gel from L ike K< i?' to French Crtek, or the Aileghany ri- 
yer, there must be a portage ; for on the South shore of the Lake 
the Land rises to a considerable height, forming a mountain ridge 
about ten miles or more over, which cannot be canalled—and 
when arrived at the creek or river in is only when there is a rise 
of the waters that they are navigable. The saving of one half per 
cent, or one per cent, on the value of such goods as compose an 
assortment for the westward, will therefore by no means com¬ 
pensate for the addi.ional certain delay, increased risk, and pro¬ 
bable loss of the market for the best part of the season—So long 
as the trader comes in himself for his goods, he will willingly 
pay a higher price to get them speedily to their destination ; and 
that route would unquestionably be preferred, by which his goods 
would be transported to the Ohio, with almost as much speed as 
he himself could travel 

Pennsylvania, it has been remarked, is about to make great 
exertions. A book has recently been published by Mr. Breck, of 
Philadelphia, which d es him honour, and which will doubtless 
produce (indeed it has already produced) the effect he desires, of 
arousing publick attention. It is not within the scope of these 
cursory remarks to touch this subject but for a moment. His ar¬ 
gument is, that a communication must be opened from Philadel¬ 
phia to Pittsburgh and Lake Erie ;—by connecting the Aileghany 
River with the Juniata, or the West branch 'of the Susquehannah, 
and by making a Canal to connect the latter with the Schuylkill, by 
means of the Swatara and Tulpehocken Creek, near Harrisburg 
and Reading. In this state ot things he supposes, that all the 
trade floating on the Susquehannah would go to Philadelphia ; 
arguing that the river from Columbia to Havre-de-Grace is inca¬ 
pable of being made good navigation. 

The different modes of effecting this union of the Susquehan¬ 
nah with the branches of the Alleghany River are marked out in 
the Map which he has given, and may be traced on any Map of 


Pennsylvania by the following Table :— 

No. I. 

Miles: 

From the Delaware to Tulpehocken Creek, • 61 

Up Tulpehocken to Canal laid out, . . 37 

Canal, ...... 4 

Down tne Quitapahilla Creek to Swatara, . 15 

Down the Swatara to Middletown, . . 23 

Up Susquehannah to Juniata, . . , 23 

Up Juniata to Huntingdon, . .86 

Up Juniata still to Poplar Run, • . 42 

Portage to Little Conemaugh, . . 16 

Down Little Conemaugh to Stoney Creek, , 18 

Down Main Conemaugh and Kiskemanetta to 

Allegham River, , ,69 

Rown Aileghany to Pittsburgh, . . 29 




11 >* 

No. 2. 


Philadelphia to Middletown (as above) . 140 

LJp Susquehannah to West Branch at Sunbury, 65 
Uj) vV. B. to Mouth of Sinnemahoning, . 106 

Up Sinnemahoning to the Fork, . . 15 

Up West Branch ot Sinnemahoning, • . 24 

Portage to Toby’s Creek, . . . 14 

Down Little Toby to Main Toby’s Creek, » 10 

Down Toby’s Creek to Alleghany, . . 70 

Down Alleghany to Pittsburgh, • . 74 


518 

A difference of opinion we are told exists with respect to the 
choice of these routes.—A canal can be more easily made across 
the portage on the latter route, which atones for its being longer. 
The difficulty of making either of them practicable for naviga¬ 
tion, can only be judged of by those acquainted with the coun¬ 
try, the streams, quantity of water, and the position of the moun¬ 
tains. 

Of the other communications which are proposed by Mr. 
Breck we have not room to speak. The capacities of the Sus- 
quehannah are certainly great and noble-—Connected with the 
Alleghany, she reaches Lake Erie by French Creek or by the 
Chautauque Lake, and by the Tyoga Branch she strikes at the 
Seneca Lake and the richest part of the State of New-York. 

The struggle for this noble river must be made by Baltimore. 
The essays of a gentleman whose name in this country has be¬ 
come almost the name of his honourable and enlightened profes¬ 
sion, (and which were lately published in the Federal Gazette 
over the signature of B) point out the way.— Should it be found 
on accurate survey that a canal from Columbia to Baltimore 
can be easily made, there can be little doubt of the consequences. 
The circuitous route by the Swatara, Tulpehocken and Schuyl¬ 
kill, a distance of 140 miles, would be unable to stand the com¬ 
petition with one direct to a market and of one-third the distance. 
The pamphlet of Mr. Breck, whose imagination delights to r vei 
in the sweets of the future Western Trade, may be read with 
delight by ihe Baltimorean; when he sees that all these deep 
streams of wealth can be made to flow to his own home. 




20 


The Potomac Company began to improve the navigation of 
the Potomac in 1784. They have expended from that time to 
the autumn of 1817, about Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand 
Dollars . They have constructed at the Great Falls, where the 
difference of level is seventy-six feet nine inches , a canal 6 feet 
deep, 25 feet wide, and 1200 yards long, having 5 locks and a 
basin. At the Little Falls, a Canal, same depth and width, 
three thousand eight hundred and fourteen yards long, with four 
locks, having a difference of level of 37 feet —At HarperVterry, 
one seventeen hundred and sixty yarns long—difference of level 
ffteen feet. At Seneca Falls one thirteen hundred and tzventy 
yards long—difference of level seven feet.—At House’s Falls one 
ffty yards long—difference of level 3 feet—the three last being 
without locks.—They have also done much work on the bed of 
the river; removing masses of rock ; making wing walls to col¬ 
lect the water; making cuts on its sides to draw the water to bet¬ 
ter channels ; and erecting cradles or chutes to pass boats.— 
The aggregate amount of tolls received by the Company from 
the 1 st of August, 1799, to 1 st of August, 1817, a period of 22 
years, is $162,379 95 cts. They never made but one dividend, 
viz : in 1303, when they divided S3,890 among the Stockhold¬ 
ers ; but have constantly applied the tolls, amountingto $158,489, 
to the river :—and they were in the beginning of 1818 in debt to 
the amount of $ 140 , 200 ; besides some claims which are con¬ 
tested, and which would probably raise their debts to $150 000 . 

The following will exhibit a fair statement of the value ot the 
trade of that river. The years are selected about the time of the 
embargo and declaration of war. 


Years. 

1800 

1806 

1807 

1810 

1811 

1812 

1816 

18i7 


Boats. 

Flour. 

Whiskey 

Tobacco.' 

i 

Iron 

Other arti. 
produce 

Sundry 

return 

goods. 

TOTAL 

estimated 

value. 

295 

16,584 

84 

25 


$i, 950 

$7,851 

$129,414 

203 

19,079 

459 

5 

20 

3,553 

4,991 

86,790 

573 

85,248 

971 

20 

35 

11,996 

7,314 

551,896 

563 

40 757 

1 ,080 

13 

191 

5,703 

— 

318,237 

1300 

1 *8,222 

3,768 

• 27 

200 

6,810 

6,000 

925,095 

613 

55,829 

3,143 

6 

360 

1,694 

7,319 

515,525 

550 

3*5,918 

1 774 

29 

419 

9,291 

6,371 

357,661 

856 

57,662 

1.385 

10 

3 35 

4,094 

>14,000 787,994 


T.he estimated value of all the produce and merchandise which 
passed up or down the river for seventeen years , is $7,002,370, 
being an average of $4 1 1,900 yearly. 

The trade of the Potomac, it would appear from these state¬ 
ments, is not great—nor has it increased as might be expected, 
from the money expended on its navigation,—The value of the 
trade of the Schuylkill , limited as it now is, amounts to between 
five and $600,000 annually—and the freight alone paid to wagons 

























21 


from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, is computed at $730,000 every 
year. 

The small value of return goods in the above Table is worthy 
of particular note.—It would seem that the trade ascending the 
river is very trifling, not indeed more than a single wagon would 
carry in common broad-cloths. 

In an official report of the Potomac Company, it appears that 
there is a difference of level between the upper point of improve¬ 
ment and tide water of eleven hundred and sixty feet. 

In what view the Company consider the fact here teported, I 
am ignorant. Some ideas have suggested themselves, in consi¬ 
dering this subject, which appear to be founded on philoso¬ 
phical principles, and to be of great assistance in enabling us to 
form a correct estimate of the capabilities of the Potomac. 

If from the whole difference of level, 1160 feet, we subtract 
the difference of level provided for by locks at the Little Falls and 
the Great Falls, and which amounts to 113 feet 9 inches, there 
will remain a perpendicular fall of 1046 feet 3 inches, in the dis¬ 
tance of about 217 miles,—being at the rate of 57.85 inches, or 
fifty-eight inches nearly in every mile. This great rapidity of 
current must be ever unfavourable to an ascending navigation.— 
The Kenhawa, a rapid river, has a descent from the Falls to the 
Ohio, distance 91 miles, of 101 feet, being a traction more than 
13 inches per mile. The Ohio at Pittsburgh, is supposed to be 
about the level of Lake Erie, which latter is 565 feet above tide¬ 
water at Albany. But, (as the estimate which will give the 
greatest fall to the Ohio) we take the report of the Secretary of 
the Treasury, who states that the river at Brownsville is eight 
hundred andfifty feet above the tide in the Chesapeake. Say 
then at Pittsburgh the Ohio is eight hundred and thirty feet above 
tide-water in the Gulf of Mexico ; the distance between Pitts¬ 
burgh and tide-water, by the river , being two thousand tzvo hun¬ 
dred miles , it follows that it has a descent of four inches fifty - 
tzvo hundredths of an inch , or four and a • half inches per 
mile. The assent af these rivers is, notwithstanding, tedious and 
laborious, and a comparison of the fall of the Mississippi and 
Ohio, Jour and a half inches per mile , with the fall of the Poto¬ 
mac, fifty-eight inches per miie , certainly leads to most unfa¬ 
vourable conclusions; particularly, when we consider the rocky 
and mountainous country through which the Potomac passes, and 
the great extremes to which it is subject;—being sometimes very 
low, and at others violently flooded, and perfectly wild and un¬ 
manageable. 

The descent of the river Amazon was found by Condamine to 
be six inches and three-quarters per mile in a straight line, which, 
allowing for the winding of the river, would be about 4 inches 
per mile. Major Rennell, in his treatise on the Ganges, observes, 
that from HurdwTar to the sea, a distance of 1350 miles, the sur- 


face of that river appears to be an uniform plane. A section of 
60 miles was, however, taken with great care bv order of Mr. Hast¬ 
ings, and the river found to have a descent of 9 niches per miie in a 
straight line; and when this was applied to the course and wind¬ 
ings of the river, the result was that its current had an actual de¬ 
scent of 4 inches per mile. He observes also, that this small 
descent gave a current of rather less than 3 miles per hour in 
the dry, and between 5 and 6 miles in the wet season, and which, 
under particular circumstances was increased to 7 or 8 miles per 
hour. 

The u Ohio Navigator” asserts, “ that the current of the Mo- 
nongahela moves at the rate of 2 miles per hour, when the river 
is low ; and 3 or 4 miles per hour when it is swelled.” The cur¬ 
rent of the Mississippi is said, on the same authority, ro have a 
velocity of 3 or 4 miles per hour, and faster (but it doo not 
state how much) when the rivers are in a state ct flood—It is 
probable, however, that it is similar to the Ganges in its general 
features ; and it is not uninteresting to remark, how nearly the 
results of the scientifick examination of the Ganges, accord with 
the data we have assumed, and the descent per mile which they 
give, and the known velocity of the Ohio and Mississippi. 

But on the other h;.nd it would appear from these considerations 
that the Potomac is little else than a continued rapid; and when 
we consider the effect of a rapid stream upon the channel, espe¬ 
cially in a rocky and mountainous country, we must acknowledge 
that the difficulties of making it a good navigation are very seri¬ 
ous. It would seem to justify the expression of an enlightened 
advocate for the Potomac, “ that it would be better to aban¬ 
don at once the bed of the river, and construct a canal the 
whole way. 

There is however a very practicable mode of uniting the wa¬ 
ters of the Potomac with the Patapsco, and by continuing the 
boat navigation from George-town to Baltimore, to make the lat¬ 
ter place the sea-port of the Potomac. A company has been char¬ 
tered by the Legislature to make a canal from the Eastern Branch 
to Curtis’s Creek, taking in, perhaps as feeders, the forks of the 
Patuxent, and passing by the Severn. The route has not yet 
been accurately surveyed, but by the concurring testimony of per¬ 
sons acquainted with the country, the scheme is very practicable, 
the length from the neighbourhood of Vans-Ville to Curtis’s 
Creek between 25 and 30 miles, and great part of the ground 
extremely favourable. As the City of Washington is to be put 
in a hot-bed and forced by government ; as the arsenals, store¬ 
houses, navy-yards, depositories, &c. &c. are to be there, it 
must surely be the policy of the general government to establish 
a direct communication of this sort with the head of the Che¬ 
sapeake, and the route to Philadelphia, New-Y* rlc, he .—The 
subject is one of considerable interest, but we must be contend 
with these hints for the present. 


If, however, the navigation of the Potomac shall be further 

improved by the efforts which greater population, greater wealth, 
and greater resources may enable us hereafter to make, that river 
can be also united to Baltimore by another route. In order to 
shi. w that Baltimore possesses a means of water communication 
with the Ohio, and even with Pittsburgh, in half the distance, at 
hail the expense, and possessing equal facility for transporting 
goods witn the communication from Philadelphia as proposed by 
Mr. Breck we give the following route.—It is derived from a 
gentleman who for many years has been engaged in different ap¬ 
pointments relating to this particular subject, and who to general 
inf >rmation unites an eminent geographical knowledge of this 
section of country. It is given in addition to what is said in page 
19, on the proposed Canal to York, to shew that whenever a 
water communication is opened through the Alleghany, that it 
can be done from Baltimore on better terms than from Philadel¬ 
phia. The distances are given from land routes and not from the 
W> dings of the waters, which it would appear by several items, 
is also Mr. Breck’s computation, though he does not expressly 
say so. 

From Baltimore to Potomac, through the Eastern Branch Ca¬ 
nal, and thence up the Potomac ; 

or, 

Miles. 

From Baltimore to near Elkridge landing or "EUicott’s Mills, 10 
Thence across to the Monocacy by Bennett’s Creek, taking 

the Patuxent branches as feeders, . ... 30 

Down Monocacy to Potomac, . • • .10 

Up Potomac to Head-waters of ditto, . . . 140 

Across to Cheat River, using the Big and Little Youghio- 

geny Branches, which intervene as feeders, . .15 

Down Cheat River to Monongahela, . * . .30 

Down Monongahela to Brovvn’s-ville,. ., . . . 20 

.255 


From Cheat River there is at present a portage of only 37 
miles to the Potomac. From Cumberland it is only 40 miles by 
the national road to Smyth field or the Big Crossings of Youghi- 
ogeny—whose navigation is interrupted only by the Falls which 
it makes in breaking through Laurel Ridge. Mr. Latrobe who 
visited them, is of opinion they may be overcome by a Canal ; 
and persons of the neighbourhood have stated the expense at 
$ 100 , 000 . 

These speculations may serve to amuse for the present, and to 
familiarise the public mind to the system of canaling, until we 
acquire strength and wealth enough to meet the great difficulty 
and expense. 



24 


It remains now only to notice the route of communication pro¬ 
posed by the Board of Pubiick Works to the Legislature of Vir¬ 
ginia, in their Annual Report of 1817. The full and minute de¬ 
tail there presented, from actual surveys, bv the principal Engi¬ 
neer, affords strong grounds for asserting, that it is the most un¬ 
favourable route of any that have been proposed. From Rich¬ 
mond the James River is ascended to the mouth of Looney’s 
Creek near Beal’s Bridge in Botetourt County, a distance of 220 
miles.—On this part of the river the James River Company have 
spent (to Jan. 1816) the sum of $374 293. From Looney’s 
Creek the route passes up the James River and up Jackson’s 
River to the mouth of Dunlap Creek, a distance of 6o miles, on 
which no improvements have been made ; which are rapid and 
turbulent streams, flowing among mountains, over beds of rock 
and gravel. From Dunlap Creek there must be a portage or 
road, over the Alleghany, of 103 miles, to the Great Falls of 
Kenhaway; and thence down the Kenhavvay 91 miles to the 
Ohio. The whole distance from Richmond to the Ohio will 
thus be 471 miles—100 of which must be land-carriage over the 
mountains, on a road not yet constructed. That the James 
River will continue to afford increasing nourishment to Richmond 
and the State of Virginia, there is no doubt ; but it never can 
become the channel of the Western Country. 

From this view of the proposed water communications with 
the Western Country, it will be seen that the difficulties to be 
encountered are very serious. It is very easy to trace on the 
map the course of rivers to their head-waters, and lay down a 
portage of a few miles—-but when those rivers are to be made so 
that a boat can ascend with perfect ease, then it is that the labour 
commences.—The full benefits of canal navigation cannot be enjoy¬ 
ed unless boats pass either way in slack water, and have a good tow¬ 
ing path at the side. Whoever considers the great descent of the 
rivers which flow Eastwardly, from the Alleghany, their fre¬ 
quent and high floods, the rocks and broken nature of their 
beds, the violence of the current when swelled, and the force of 
the drift-ice in the spring, will perceive that these mighty waters 
are not to be bridled and mastered but by immense labour, large 
expense, and the most determined perseverance. 

10 th Prop. Yet, however unfavourable may be the prospect of 
carrying into operation at the present time any great system of 
canal communication, these last and best improvements in the 
face of a country should be always kept in view. In the pro¬ 
gressive improvement of a country roads must precede canals.— 
We have not yet done with roads, as is proved by the imperfect 
state of those works sufficiently. The great difficulties on that 
head are, however, overcome—they now only require attention 
and a little exertion. 


Whether the Susquehanna is made the medium of communi¬ 
cation with the Western Country or not, the commerce o that 
country is ot vast importance.—.From the report of the commis¬ 
sioners appointed in 1817 to examine the river, it would seem 
that its obstructions to boat navigation principally occur between 
Columbia and Havre-de*Grace.—If (as Mr. Latrobe, the commis¬ 
sioners and others think ) it is impracticable to make a safe navi¬ 
gation between those places by the river, there remains bui the 
choice of a turnpike road, or a canal across the country from 
Baltimore to the mouth of Cadorus. The road is already finish¬ 
ed, and it remains to be seen whether the canal is practicable.— 
II it is practicable there can be no doubt ot its immense utility to 
Baltimore. 

The communication with the Potorr ac should be kept in view; 
In the increasing state of our country, the navigation of these 
rivers will increase, and whatever changes may hereafter be made 
upon them, we stand ready to claim from them those advantages 
which nature has granted to us ; but which she has granted only 
Upon the conditions which she annexes to every good and precious 
gift, namely, that it is the reward of labour and enterprise, and 
earned by 41 the sweat of our brow.” 

Prop. I lth. In arranging the future projects of improvement, 
which time may hereafter develop, under one of these three 
classes ; namely, the Susquehanna, a road over the mountains, 
and the Potomac, we mean only to make a general classification. 
The importance of the Susquehanna is not sufficiently under¬ 
stood.-—It reaches the Gencssee country and the centre of New- 
York by the Seneca Lake, and it laps every line of communica¬ 
tion in Pennsylvania. A good boat navigation to Columbia, 
would in fact make Baltimore instead of Philadelphia , the capital 
of Pennsylvania. —Some great measures should be taken to relieve 
this noble river; and, as she has with coyness set a price upon 
her favours, to endeavour to pay it, under the certain conviction 
that ten-fold will be returned us. 

The Cross-Cut Canal from Prench-Town to New-Castle seems 
not to belong to either of the above classes.—-When it was first 
projected many persons of good judgment thought that jt would 
be injurious to the interests of Baltimore; that much of the pro¬ 
duce of the upper shores of the Chesapeake would pass through 
it to the Brandy-Wine Mills and to Philadelphia. yVhether their 
apprehensions would be realised must still be matter of opinion 
but there certainly appear to he very strong reasons for supposing 
that it would not be prejudicial, but highly beneficial to Baltimore. 
The vessels which navigate the Chesapeake, bringing the produce 
fiofts of the Eastern and Western Shore to Baltimore, can now 
go round to Philadelphia with great ease, and they would do it 
if Philadelphia was really so golden a market .—In fact most of 
the productions of the lower part of the Chesapeake do at pre¬ 
sent go round to Philadelphia or Ncw-York (principally the lat- 

4 


fer) according to the report of the state of the market or the fancy 
of the owner.—I is impossible to prevent this ; nor is it of any 
great moment to do it.—Checks and restraints, tending to throw 
it by force into any particular channel, are injurious to the whole 
system of commerce. It must be diverted gently ; and like the 
irrigation of a green meadow it ought to be generally diffused— 
the richest spots will then be most luxuriant. 

Unrivalled as we shall be in our road to the Western Country, 
should we not studiously improve our communications to the 
Eastward and Southward ? If it is our aim to divert the trade 
of the interiour from Philadelphia to Baltimore, should we not 
make the communication between those two places as simple and 
cheap as possible ? Certainly every view of the subject will lead 
us to answer in the affirmative.—The ease of conveyance by steam¬ 
boats already has brought many traders, whose destination was 
Philadelphia or New-York, through Baltimore. Having made 
their purchases, they transport them from the former places, di¬ 
rectly to the West. When the heavy groceries were supplied by 
land carriage as they were until the last two years, the price of 
freight made it an object to save the additional land carriage from. 
Philadelphia, and they were often shipped to Baltimore to be 
wagoned to the westward.—The trader who came to Baltimore to 
attend to the transportation, and remained a few days, alwa> s found 
something to please him in our market and added it to his stock. 
But the supply of these groceries has very much diminished with¬ 
in two years in consequence of the steam-boats on the Mississippi. 
The trader’s purchases, therefore, consisting more of light goods, 
he disregards the freight, and putting them in a wagon direct for 
Pittsburg, hastens after them himself, and we see no more of him. 

But let us attend to the evident effects of the Canal. If it 
were made wide enough to admit the same boat which came down 
the Delaware, to pass through and come on to Baltimore, there 
is no doubt but that every package of merchandise destined at 
Philadelphia for the Western Country, would come to Baltimore* 
to be put in wagons there. For the saving of wagon transport, 
would be about one-third at least of the charge on a wagon load, 
whatever that might be. The freight from Philadelphia to 
Baltimore could not be more than $5, (a large allowance) per 
wagon load of 40 cwt.—and if we say that this load is taken to 
Pittsburg from Philadelphia for ft8 per cwt., and from Baltimore 
for $5, there nvould be a saving of yll5 on each wagon load— 
and if the wagon freight were reduced to $3 from Philadelphia 
and $2 from Baltimore, the cost on each wagon load would be 
$85 from the latter and $120 from the former.—Of course the 
wagons would all come to Baltimore for their freight : the pro¬ 
duce they bring with them would be sold in the Baltimore mar¬ 
ket; a proportionate quantity of goods purchased j and the bu- 


siness thus created cause a demand for warehouses, labourers, 
dwellings and all kinds of property. 

If these ideas are correct, (and they were first suggested by a 
gentleman, whose character and experience are alone a sufficient 
sanction to any view he may take) the completion of the Cross- 
Cut would be a great benefit to Baltimore. One cf the great 
advantages of her position , as a principal point of communication 
with the Western Country, is her facility of intercourse with 
other Atlantick ports—the more, therefore, we eucrease this faci¬ 
lity, the more strong will be its argument in our favour If the 
goods purchased to the Eastward are brought to Baltimore to 
begin their transport, (as they must be if we do right) it w ill soon 
follow that the shipments from Europe will be made directly to 
the Chesapeake, and the trade settle there. 


There are no means of ascertaining with precision the 
amount of the trade of the Western Country.—The following 
items are thrown together, as leading to an approximation, how¬ 
ever remote, of the value of the trade from Philadelphia to 
Pittsburg only. 

A computation has been made in Philadelphia that ten wagons 
on an average, leave that place for Pittsburg every day, loaded 
with an average freight of $'200.—This gives for the annual 
amount of freight $730,000. If we take $8 to be the ave¬ 
rage price of freight, (which their writers state it is) then 
8)730 000 ( will give 91.250 cwt . as the quantity carried.—It is 
difficult to fix an average value to this merchandise, but by at¬ 
tending to the facts and calculations in page 13, it will appear to 
be a low estimate if we value it at %200 per cwt. round.—Then 
91,250 cwt. at $900, will give a gross amount of $18, 250,000— 
the value of merchandise wagoned out every year from Phila¬ 
delphia to Pittsburg. 

If this calculation, from data furnished at Philadelphia, sur¬ 
prise us by the greatness of its amouut, let us try how it will 
agree with one from data entirely different, furnished from Pitts¬ 
burg.—Henry Montgomery, keeper of the turnpike gate at Ches- 
nm Ridge, between StoyVTown and Greensburgh, made an 
official return from which it appears that there passed through his 
g-rfr* during the year ending May, 1818, among other things 281 
four horse, 2412 five horse, and 2698 six-horse teams. 

In order to make every allowance, we throw out the four horse 
teams entirely, and to allow for wagons returning Eastwardly, 
we will take only half rhe number of the five and six horse teams. 
This will give $.555 teams, which on a moderate calculation 
must carry an average of 35 cwt .—The wagons therefore going 
Westwardly carry 89,435 cwt .—which at an average of $309 


28 


per cwt. gives the value of merchandise transported to Pitsburg, 
17,885,000 dollars ! ! 

It the near approximation of the latter to the former calcula¬ 
tion excites some surprise, it must not be forgotten that they are 
from data entirely different—the one from Philadelphia, the other 

from an actual account of wagons on the road near Pittsburgh- 

The only assumption in the calculation is the value per cwt . of the 
merchandise,—which is taken at an average ol $200. 11 it 

should be further reduced, and the average value supposed to 
flat between $200 and $150 per cwt. then the gross value of 
merchandise transported from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, will be 
somewhere between thirteen and a half millions and 

EIGHTEEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY!!! 


But however uncertain may be our calculations of the precise 
amount of this trade, one thing is certain that the intercourse is 
of vast importance. If we have failed in shewing how easy it 
will be fur Baltimore to take possession of it, the fault is in the 
advocate and not in the cause. It is only necessary to travel on 
the Pittsburgh road to form an idea of the great intercourse which 
passes constantly on it.—Through the turnpike-gate on the Ches- 
nut Ridge there passed in the year ending last May, 39,600 hor¬ 
ses, and this is only one of two passes over the mountains in that 
neighbourhood. In the month of October last there passed 
through the gate near Bedford, 44 19 souls going Westwardly, 
and 2979 souls coming Eastwardly. A gentleman living on the 
great road near Pittsburgh in the year 1813, counted the number 
of foreign wagons , laden with merchandise, &c. which were 
seen to pass his farm during the year—they amounted to 4,055. 

This intercourse must increase by the mere operation of in¬ 
creasing population, wealth, and greatness of those trans-montane 
regions.—What is found in the establishment of steam-boats will 
be the case here, and every increased facility of communication 
will increase the number of those that travel.— The turnpike be¬ 
ing completed from Baltimore to Wheeling, even fashion and * 
luxury will dissipate the sultry season in excursions to the cool 
and invigorating air of the mountains, or the rich and picturesque 
banks of the Ohio.—In the earliest mythologies the Goddess o" 
Health is said to dwell on the mountain; and the practice cf Eu- 
rope, where invalids flock from all countries to the Swiss Alps, 
will be imitated here by resorting to the Alleghany.—It is very 
certain that man) now preserved in happy age, and many a youth¬ 
ful cheek now beaming with health, owe their restoration to the 
Western mountain air. It is indeed consoling to think, that an 
improved communication will render the resort more general, and 
many a victim snatched from that black list of consumption, 
which swells the bills of mortality of the Atlantick Cities. 

tj« 1 3g 



To conclude :—It remains for the people of the Counties of 
Baltimore, Anne-Arundel, Frederick, Washington and Alle¬ 
ghany, in particular, to be active and zealous in promoting the 
route and the establishments we have pointed out; which will 
bring to their doors a market for every production of their farms, 
and give an increased value to their lands.—For the City of Bal¬ 
timore it is absolutely necessary to attend to it,—as a matter in¬ 
volving her dearest interests, as a question of continued prospe¬ 
rity or gradual decline, and a case almost of life or death.—The 
State of Maryland has a vast interest in gaining the Western 
trade, which will make her agriculture as well as her commerce 
flourish ; which will diffuse its benefits far and wide; which will 
increase the sources of taxation by which her finances will become 
greatly prosperous; and which will accumulate that wealth, 
which alone sustained her sinking treasury during the late war. 

. Finally, political considerations of the greatest weight, make this 
route Cas the shortest and the best to the Western Country) of infi¬ 
nite importance to the Union.—The day which connects the West¬ 
ern waters with the Atlantic by an easy and uninterrupted canal 
navigation, puts a seal to the bond of union which these States 
will never break.—While present circumstances procrastinate 
that period, we have shewn that a great high road, kept up w ith 
sedulous care and on expanded principles, will answer every 
purpose. 

On the other hand, the moment that the Western States turn 
their communications wholly to New-Orleans, and abandon the 
Atlantic cities—from that moment, the bolts and braces of our 
CONFEDERATION are withdrawn, its ties and fastenings 
loosened, and in ail human probability it will founder and go to 
pieces in the first heavy gale. 



NOTE. 

We have not dwelt as forcibly as we might have done on the great 
advantages of position enjoyed by Brownsville and Wheeling.—While 
it is a distance of 300 miles from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, it is only 
200 miles from Baltimore to Brownsville, and 252 miles to Wheeling. 
The latter place is asserted to be the head of navigation, at all times 
practicable on the Ohio, (see Mr. Clay*s speech on Internal Improve¬ 
ment) ; while boats are frequently delayed at Pittsburg (which is by 
the river 96 miles above Wheeling) waiting for a rise of the w ater 
before they can proceed—This very year, an instance of this delay 
occurred—on the 9th and 10th of September there was a partial rise 
of the Monongahela, which enabled the few boats that were then 
loaded, to get off—but for a long time afterwards the Pittsburg \ pa¬ 
pers were regretting the delay of quantities of merchandize detained 
there, because there was not sufficient water in the river for the 
boats. 

The estimate of the value of the trade from Philadelphia to Pitts¬ 
burgh, is given merely as an attempt to supply the want of official do¬ 
cuments.—The data being given, it is left for each one to form his 
own opinion of the result.—There are, however, many facts which 
seem all to prove that the gross amount of this trade, is much greater 
than we should be inclined to believe on first view. Take for instance 
the following extracts from a general memorial of the inhabitants of 
Cincinnati in September 1816, and signed by Messrs. Baum, Drake, 
Este, Burnet, Hunt, Torrence and Taylor, on behalf of the Town. 

“Our imports from Philadelphia, Baltimore and New-York, are 
u much greater than from New-Orleans. In Cincinnati alone there 
€t are one hundred stores of European goods ; several of which are 
“ engaged in a wholesale business, with the merchants ot the adjum- 
“ ing country, in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio.—In that part of the 
“ latter State , which is termed the Miami Country, and of winch 
“ Cincinnati is the entrepot, there are by estimate as many stoics as 
6i in the town.—Tc supply these two hundred shops , merchant' se to 

the amount of at least two millions of dollars is annually imported 
^ from the Atlantic Cities l” 








































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